Traditional TV audience measurement/analysis systems make use of so-called “people meters” installed in a panel of households, chosen such that their occupants are demographically representative of the population as a whole. This technique is robust when analysing the audience to major channels by major demographic groupings (all men or all housewives for example). However, the widespread introduction of multi-channel program services, for reception via digital cable and/or satellite for example, and thus the availability of many channels, including minority-interest channels, has created a need for improved audience measurement/analysis system which can reliably analyse the audience even to minority-interest channels, and in particular can provide analysis by more specific demographic groupings (such as females aged 16 to 24). Using the traditional analysis system for this would require, to provide reliable minority channel/specific demographics, a very large “people meter” panel size, which in practice would become unaffordable.
The inventors have had the insight that the very change that causes the problem—the widespread introduction of multi-channel program services, for reception via digital cable and/or satellite for example—also offers the potential for a solution of the problem.
As is well known, digital program receivers such as digital satellite receivers and cable boxes (hereafter Set Top Boxes or STBs) can usually transmit data back to the system operator, typically either via the “back channel” of the cable system or via a telephone line connection. This feature is primarily provided to allow interactive TV services to be implemented, including for example pay-per-view. Such STBs can also run software applications, pre-loaded in the STBs or downloaded over the cable or over the air to the STBs. Typically these would be games or “infomercials”. However, it has been appreciated by the inventors that it is also possible to pre-load, for example as firmware, or download software to STBs that can record, and then transmit back to the system operator, details of the channels selected from time to time by the viewer. It has further been appreciated by the inventors that since the incremental cost of doing this is very low, it can be done for a very large number of STBs; if necessary for the whole subscriber base of households using the STBs of a system operator or service provider.
The inventors have had the insight that such data can form part of the information needed to generate audience figures and carry out audience analysis. Because of the potentially very large sample size, the data offers the prospect of providing audience measurement/analysis based on data from a far greater number of households than is feasible with traditional panel systems.
However, the inventors have had the insight that such data from STB's is of itself insufficient to allow detailed audience analysis, such as analysis in relation to minority channels and small demographic groupings, to be carried out.
One issue identified by the inventors is that the STB data does not reveal when the TV to which the STB is connected was switched on and off. STBs are very typically left on permanently, so at the end of a viewing session the TV may be switched off but the STB continues to be tuned to the last channel watched. This means that channel viewing data from STB's provides, or almost certainly provides, a false indication of actual viewing of the TV. The integrity or value of the STB viewing data, even as household viewing information, is impaired.
Another issue is that such data from STB's only provides household viewing information, i.e. it indicates only the STB channel selected at each point in time. It does not reveal which individuals were watching at the relevant times.